


Tokens and Gestures

by dontneedaclassroom



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Dragon hunting, M/M, i mean what is the technical definition of "wedding" anyway, not a wedding, that's definitely not what Dorian is suggesting why would you think that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-15 22:19:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13040616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontneedaclassroom/pseuds/dontneedaclassroom
Summary: Dorian and Bull kill a dragon (with some help from the Chargers). Dorian feels inspired.





	Tokens and Gestures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shae_C](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shae_C/gifts).



> Combining elements from two of Shae_C's prompts:  
> \- Dorian joins the Chargers for a mission.  
> \- Dorian and Bull's kicking butt as old marrieds and renewing their vows after a battle.

When the dragon reared up and screamed its challenge at them, horns silhouetted against the sunrise, Bull felt the old familiar rush of adrenaline. He heard the reassuring rustle and clank of the Chargers settling their weapons one last time.

 Dorian turned and pointed a finger at Bull.

"I know I've always had a thing for the horns," Dorian said, "but really, amatus, you didn't have to seek out the only beast in Thedas with a bigger rack than yours. I’d have fought any of them for the asking."

"But I knew you'd never be able to resist this one," Bull said.

The fight was long and bloody, as high dragons always were. How strange, to be an authority on the subject. Bull suspected he had fought and killed more dragons than anyone else alive.

When the great beast finally fell on its side, the head crashing to earth just between Bull and the cliffside, the Chargers let out a whoop of satisfaction that echoed off the hills and crags surrounding them. Dorian and Dalish had been providing cover from ledges along the upper part of the ravine, and they let off a couple of exuberant flairs of colored energy before starting the scramble down.

Dorian slid down a stretch of gravel, then stopped just at the edge of a harsh drop. He looked down at Bull and gave a smug little smile. Then he took a graceful step off the edge, like he was just starting down a staircase.

The laughter in Bull's throat turned to a choked shout, but Dorian cast something in the next moment – he encased himself in a time bubble, caught, raw power turning the air alive around him. The sun reflected off his armor for a moment and Bull thought – scales flashing in the sky – he _flies -_

The bubble brought Dorian gently down atop the dragon's skull. He caught his balance with a tap of his staff against one of the enormous eyebrow ridges. Bull exhaled.

Dorian poked the dragon’s horn with his staff, then tested his weight with one foot.  In the time it took Bull to cross the little distance, Dorian sat on the horn as regally as a throne.

Dorian leaned over to give Bull a kiss. With the tilt of the dragon's head and Bull's height, Dorian was perhaps a foot over Bull's head. Bull stood on his tiptoes and reached up to cradle Dorian's face, bringing him down just a little closer.

Somebody wolf-whistled. Bull winked up at Dorian and popped his foot up in the cheesy romantic opera move as he sealed the kiss.

The stench of dragon's blood was really like nothing else in the world. Bull wasn't going to pretend it was good, exactly, but it was inextricably tied to glory, and victory. Bull also wasn't going to pretend it wasn't working for him. He got a delicious frisson of feeling small and soft, while _also_ getting to feel like the most powerful thing on the continent because they just took out a fucking high dragon. And now Bull was kissing his kadan right next to the beast's dead eye.

"You know, amatus," Dorian murmured against the Bull's lips, "the Inquisitor never once took us both on the same dragon-hunting mission. I never did see what got you so excited, until now."

“Aw, I knew you’d come around.” Bull hummed in appreciation and slid his hands down from Dorian's face to his waist, feeling the way that Dorian's flanks heaved with the hard breathing of the remaining adrenaline.

"In fact, I'm finding it somewhat _inspiring_ , if you know what I mean," Dorian said. He reached down and interlaced one hand with Bull's.

Bull drew back a bit and tilted his head in inquiry - since holding hands was actively preventing him from copping a feel, for once he didn't know what Dorian meant.

"If you fight any more dragons, keep bringing me along, ok?"

Bull rocked back on his heels, even though that took him well out of kissing range. His right hand was still stretched up, tangled in Dorian’s. He left the other on Dorian’s waist.

“Wasn’t planning on leaving you behind.” Bull had thought that fear had been put to rest between them.

"Don’t you think it would be nice to have a more explicit, public, understanding?"

Dorian was trying for a nonchalant tone, but Bull realized that Dorian’s grip on his fingers was getting tighter.

"Are you saying... you want a wedding?" Bull asked carefully. Humans got real weird about this stuff, and Dorian in particular had a pretty shitty history with engagements. But Bull could do a party if Dorian wanted one, even with whatever nonsense the Chantry made you say first.

Dorian's eyes widened and he started to shake his head, but stopped himself. Bull wondered idly what the Chargers were making of this bizarre pantomime they had going over here on the dragon skull, but he didn't want to stop watching Dorian's face.

"I – no. But perhaps, vows? Today. After all, your family is all here, and we've got our enormous odiferous symbol all ready to go."

"And we were magnificent, weren't we," Bull added, feeling a smile grow on his face.

"Yes, precisely! Such magnificence deserves to be memorialized," Dorian agreed.

"Yeah, you know, I think you have a point. Dead dragon, my boys, and my kadan. What else do I need? Krem! Get everybody over here, we're having a grand gesture!"

"Boss, you better not be planning to set it on fire or something," Krem said as he sauntered up to them. "I promised Dagna I'd bring her back the carbuncle, claws, and wing membranes, plus the scales are part of the Chargers' fee."

"Hey, a fire's a good idea," Bull said. "Bonfires are traditional, right?"

"Not a Tevinter tradition, but I wouldn't object." Dorian sounded indulgent.

"Wait, what tradition? What grand gesture?" Krem demanded.

"We're doing the exchanging vows thing," Bull said. The expressions that flashed across Krem's face - surprise, distaste, resignation, fondness - were so quick and so completely perfect that Bull burst out laughing.

"Mine are going to be _poetic_ ," Dorian said, over Bull’s laughter. "Just you wait." He tapped Bull's shoulder lightly with one foot and put Bull's hands back on his waist. "Down, please."

Bull leered at Dorian's crotch, which was right at a convenient height for going _down_. But that clearly wasn’t where Dorian’s head was at so Bull saved the thought for later, obediently lifting Dorian down from the dragon’s horn to the ground.

Dorian strode over to the tip of the dragon's snout and bent down to admire the teeth.

"Yes, this is good,” Dorian said. “We are much more suited to teeth than some altar draped in silk."

Bull eyed Dorian. Once, not so very long ago, that kind of sentiment could easily have turned sour, a reminder of all that Dorian had lost. But today, he seemed truly pleased that the work of his hands was embodied in a fallen dragon.

Bull had thought he knew what it was to live on the raw edge on Seheron, had thought he was fully awake down to his bones. But the first time he came up against a dragon, he'd felt some part of himself unfurl like a banner snapping in the wind. And that was the same feeling he got with Dorian. Not all the time, of course, you couldn't live like that every day. But sometimes, like today, he got that same sense of the air itself conspiring to glory. Like there was something just within reach that would be greater than all the moments leading up to it.

“Let’s leave the bonfire for after, hey?” Bull said.

“Agreed,” said Dorian. “I think this is all your ruffians gathered around, shall I begin?”

Dorian drew himself up and walked to just the other side of the dragon’s snout. He gestured imperiously for Bull to give him his hand, which he gladly did.

Dorian turned slightly to face the Chargers. Krem stood out in front of them with his arms crossed, and Bull couldn’t read his expression at all.

“We have already agreed between ourselves that we are bound,” Dorian began. “The Iron Bull killed a dragon –“

“I mean, I had help –“ Bull interrupted automatically.

"- killed a dragon _with the inquisitor_ , yes, thank you, shut up. When he killed that dragon, he took a tooth and made a token for us to remember we remain connected." Dorian took his necklace in his free had and turned to Bull. “Today we killed _this_ dragon, together. It will stand as a new symbol, that we fight shoulder to shoulder. Today I pledge myself to the man I love. From this day forward, come what may, I am yours as you are mine.”

Dorian squeezed Bull’s hand and smiled at him expectantly.

Bull knew he needed to start his part quickly, before the boys started heckling them and broke the mood.  He felt somehow shy and tongue-tied, even though just this morning he'd bragged to the whole camp about sucking Dorian off twice before breakfast.

"We stand back to back in battle, yeah, but it’s not just that," he started. It was easier if he just looked at Dorian and ignored the audience. "You watch my blind side out of battle, too. It's not just the fights, it's the softness, not just the strength but the sickness. I've never..." to his horror, Bull felt himself chocking up. No one would ever let him forget this. But then again, why would he want to forget it? "I'm with you Dorian Pavus, I swear it, until our souls leave this plane. I don't know if I'll walk the Fade after death, but if I do, I'll be by your side there, too."

At least Dorian's eyes were shining too, he had that much of his dignity left.

Bull looked down at him and felt... something. Something warm.

"Kadan," he said.

And then he took two strides around the dragon's head to Dorian, lifted him up by the waist, and kissed him deep and dirty. Dorian's legs came up around Bull's waist. The Chargers were clapping and whistling at them, but the important thing was they had waited until the end of the vows.

Dorian in his arms smelled like sweat and lightning and blood and dragon.

“So, what’re we going to set on fire to celebrate?” Krem asked. Bull hoped he wasn’t supposed to be answering.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to land this somewhere in the vicinity of your prompts, so I hope you like it Shae_C!


End file.
